The D'ArchAngel
by Pridakal
Summary: A girl looking for her past, a man looking for his future, a girl enjoying the present, and a man avoiding all three. This is the story of four strange humans moving forward the necessary pieces of a foretold prophecy. Who is it that binds them together? The mythical D'ArchAngel. M for language and violence. (4th Book in a long story)
1. From Under the Rubble-On the Run

From Under the Rubble – On the Run

There is always something beautiful about destruction. When a flood sweeps away a small village, nature takes back what was stolen from it. When an earthquake strikes, the land evolves into a new form creating natural skylines. When a fire is set, and everything is burned to ashes, there are those who are given a new beginning.

Though, a fire never does look pretty when you're standing in the middle of it. I remember everything as clear as daylight; as if the memories were literally burned into an eternal scar.

It all started with a simple smell. Smoke – thick, dry fumes seeped under the door as I slept. I awoke to my own suffocation, and coughed violently under the covers until I realized what was happening. Once I did, I ran downstairs to go outside.

 _That_ was when the true fire began. Two men, my father and one in a black cloak, stood there unmoving. I was unable to see my father's face, but _that man,_ the lower half of his face was clearly visible in the light of the fire. He seemed angry, furious even, but with a crack of his neck, that expression transformed into a vicious grin – one that predicted victory before a battle's conception.

With a swift flick of his wrist, he revealed a dark blade which was thrusted into my father's stomach. I forced myself to look elsewhere, but the fear and sadness I felt couldn't be locked away. I wound up looking towards my mother; my _dead_ mother. The sight of her neck split in two made me sick, but the stress of the heat kept my insides where they were.

A giant crash in one of the walls followed by silence let me know that the cloaked man had probably left. I looked back to my father who was lying motionless on the ground and ran to him. I knew he was already gone, but that childish innocence I held forced me to believe that he would come back – that he wasn't really gone.

Another crash broke the through the ceiling, and the cloaked man stood in front of me. His eyes were still concealed, but his expression was readable. He looked stoic; something about him whispered pity. I hated him. I wanted to hit him, to kill him, to pay him back then and there, but I knew I was powerless. With no one to cry to, I went up and hugged his leg.

I don't know how long the two of us stood there – how long he patiently let me cry on his leg, but when the framework of the building began to crack, he picked me up and took me outside. After setting me down, he jumped back inside. Meanwhile, I was mesmerized by the hypnotic flames that consumed what was supposed to be my sanctuary. He returned to the outside and stood before me holding a rose in his hand.

This wasn't a normal rose by any means other than form. It was glass, but inside was a bounty of colors waving around like slow lightning through the clouds. I couldn't take my eyes off of it as he handed it to me. For one reason or another, touching it gave me some sort of inner peace.

I looked up to see the cloaked man, but he was nowhere in sight. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I vowed – then and there – that I would find that man again. I would do whatever it took to find him; I didn't care how long it would take. I would find him, and when I did…

I would kill him. From the ashes of that destructive fire, _I was reborn._

Life is such a beautiful thing. I can't remember a single moment in which I had ever felt any true despair. I mean; sure I've been sad before, but I don't think I've been truly unhappy. I've had so many joyful memories that it's hard to pick out which one was the best.

I guess if I had to just pick one, it would probably be the first time I ever saw _it._ The memory is still as clear as the crystals the beast resided in. I was so young and foolish at the time, but that's what makes adventure so… adventurous.

I snuck out of the house in the darkest hour of the night, but I wouldn't call it scary or even really dark. The stars were still out, so I at least had a pretty sight while I went on my short journey to the mountains.

Anyways, I wasn't alone either, I had my best friend and partner with me, Bagon. He'd been with me ever since I was born – others would call it a natural connection. I'd call it siblinghood.

When we reached the base of the mountain _it_ resided on, we looked to each other in excitement. All of a sudden, we heard an enormous series of thumps hitting the ground; each thumping progressively getting louder. We turned around frightened out of our bodies in anticipation for what was coming. I wasn't really scared, but I was definitely nervous.

Soon enough, a dark figure came through the trees and I ordered Bagon to prepare one of his nasty fire attacks – the little guy was so ferocious for his size. Before we could do anything, a tiny ball of dragon's breath shot through the trees and into Bagon's mouth. I cried out to him, but he toughed it out like he always does. If anything, he probably just got a little dazed from the attack.

I looked back towards the trees and into a set of glowing, yellow eyes. I guess I did feel a little scared, but it was more of a surprise than actual horror. If anything, I felt intrigued – motivated to find out what it was.

I slowly walked to the source of the dragon's breath to get a closer view of whatever it was that Bagon had sensed. That was when I heard a deep growl threaten me from within the bushes. I put my hands up in a gesture of safety. I didn't want it to feel afraid of me; I wanted it to befriend me. If it could do that, my trial would come sooner than normal.

Whatever it was seemed to remain hidden and blended in with the silence of the night. I looked around me to ensure I was alone, and held a single hand out to the beast. I focused my senses into the palm of my hand until a single, blue flame emanated from my skin.

I stood there nervous from displaying my secret out in front of the world for about a couple minutes until the leaves began to rustle. Out from the bushes came the largest dragon I had seen up to that point. The landshark dragon: Garchomp.

Life is good.

Destruction is… just as it sounds: ugly, horrid, and the worst occurrence imaginable. I abhor those that glorify or legitimize its outcome. There was a time when I looked at destruction as a means to an end; it was justified as long as _I_ was the one to do it.

However, the moment I realized that destruction couldn't solve anything, was the moment I had gone too far – when everything was too late. Regardless of how many nightmares replayed that scene on the dawn of that morning, the memory remains fuzzy.

That dream, or nightmare, always begins with me staring into her beautiful eyes. I always forget why she starts out in front of me, but when I see her stomach begin to turn red, I remember why. She took a bullet for me. Some guy wanted to take a cheap shot, and _she_ took it for me. Or… did I place her in front of me?

It was always her eyes that I noticed; never was it her mouth. I could never know whether she was smiling protectively, or scared out of her wits; however, her eyes always dropped a single tear before she fell to the bullet that was meant for me.

Everything afterward was… red… or blue… it changes all the time. What remained the same afterwards was a conglomerate of blood and sky. Then I wake up once again – as if I traveled through time.

Ever since then, I've been running from my past, moving from place to place in hopes that I could one day start a new life. However, with the corporeal shadows that follow me from those days, it's nearly impossible to stay put. They've only caused me pain. They've only caused me despair. Those monsters – those _demons_ – never leave my mind. After those days, I have put my heart and soul into eradicating their very existence.

They call me crazy; they call me _mad!_ I try to help them by warning them of _their_ existence.

Everything is futile; citizens never believe something that is cause for widespread panic. They want to feel secure; they want to feel safe. Most of all, they want to continue living with ignorance of death. If I wasn't so opposed to taking an innocent life anymore, I might have shown them the reality of that occurrence myself.

Everyone deserves a little bit of ignorance – even me. As of now, I live my life in accordance to my own creed. I live by the hair on my neck to ensure those demons meet their end. I promised that I would see through it – I promised _her_ I would; for it was my mistake. Even if it meant I had to kill again just to get some answers, I would eliminate them.

As backwards as it is, if I refrained from taking the life of an innocent, I became justified in my mission.

I often looked back to my past for answers, but I was always met by the nightmare of destructive night.

Do you ever have that feeling where you know something is going on behind your back, but everyone acts as normal as they can? I know it's a thing adults do around children, but why do they treat me the same?

As long as I can remember, my mom has always acted strangely around me – especially around the time of my birthday. She tries to hide it, but I can see it as clear as day. I tried talking to my friends about it, but they're no help… correction: I talked to an acquaintance I know, and she told me to go away.

I guess life isn't all sunflora and Ho-oh's. I was always weird; I was always the odd-one-out. I was the kid that everyone knew, but didn't _know._ I've tried making friends, but I seem to push people away more than attract them. I tried standing out once – I learned that running into a burning building to save a jolteon does more harm than good. Yet, when Rodney down the street helps an old lady with her groceries, he becomes the fucking hero of the city.

Sorry, I'm not even speaking Indigo anymore.

Besides any of that, not even my own mother – the one parent that raised me – can help me out with anything. She's always paying attention to the news and looking out for one of her old friends. That's what I can understand after catching her slip on her act a few times.

One day, I finally had enough and asked her where my dad went. The last word I heard her say was 'Johto' before I packed my things and ran away. Why? Because I had enough of that shitty excuse of a life I was living. I guess I wanted to see the world, or maybe go on an adventure.

More importantly, I do want to find out who my father is. I think he's the only one that can explain why my life is the way it is; why my mom acts how she does; why I'm so different from the others. I want to know why I'm able to do things that make people wary of me.

Because what's the point in living a life if you can't understand just where you fit inside of it?

"That's an interestin' story ya got there," the old bartender said. Across the bar was a young girl that looked the age of a teenager. Long, black hair, tan skin, slim figure with appropriate curves, and gray-green eyes that screamed dull.

"Well, it's the one that I hope gives me the resource I need," she spoke firmly as she looked into the bartender's brown eyes. He was middle-aged and rough around the edges. A lengthy beard exploded from his chin and, repulsively, dipped into the glass he had been cleaning for the past thirty minutes. His skin was fair and his dialect suggested he was of strong Johto descent.

"What makes ya think I have what ya want?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. The girl thought about her options. She could try to be upfront with the bartender and reveal what she knows about its _particular_ reputation, but, knowing that, she probably wouldn't make it out of the bar that night. She could also try to charm her way to getting an answer out of him. He did look like he had been deprived of release for a while. However, given that she had never attempted such a feat before, it probably wouldn't work out in her favor. Her last option was to reveal what she was. It was a risk that could either get her what she wanted or get her arrested on sight.

She took a deep breath and took a seat on the bar leaning back with her smooth legs crossed for the bartender to get a nice view of her figure. With a cute tone, she said, "Isn't there _anything_ you could do for a young lady like me? Someone you know that could help me out? I might repay you sufficiently." She winked at the end and bit her lip with sultry embarrassment.

"I'm 43," the bartender spoke unamused.

"What's that have to do with anything," the young girl laughed while the older gentlemen sighed.

"Look here lil' lady-"

"Little?!" she interrupted, "I'm twenty-four you sick-minded bastard!" Her announcement successfully cleared the bar room of all conversation, and blood flowed through her cheeks making her hotter from embarrassment than she already was. Unable to take such a scene, she squealed an apology and hopped off the bar.

"Twenty-four? There's no way yer that old miss…" the bartender trailed off waiting for her name.

"Aster," she whispered, still feeling the attention of the room on her. The bartender waved at everyone to signal that everything was alright. Meanwhile, Aster resorted to her final option.

"Anyways, there's nothin' I could do for ya unless-" he stopped speaking when he saw the small blue flame flickering from her palm. It wasn't large, but it stole his attention. He knew what that meant. Anyone in their right mind would know what that meant: she was a guardian.

It didn't matter whether they were powerful or not, or even if they were a child; a guardian was dangerous, and to be arrested upon positive identification.

The bartender gulped and looked into her eyes. They had a slight blue hue to them now – something that could easily be overlooked. He slowly reached underneath the bar – concealing his movement by leaning in closer to her – and placed his finger on a small button.

Aster looked hopeful until she read his expression all too clearly.

"Please forgive me," he whispered before pressing the button. A loud bell sounded off in the bar and everyone inside exited in a frantic fashion. Only Aster and the bartender were left inside.

"Shit," Aster squealed before running outside clutching a small, wooden sphere she unclipped from her belt.

Aster ignored the pain and strain on her legs that carried her this far as she continued her escape. She could hear the sirens in the distance and it was only a matter of time before they figured out which direction she went.

She turned to a small trail through the woods in hopes that she would at least conceal herself from the police. However, regardless of how far went, the sound of the sirens remained at the same volume. She brought the ball to her mouth and whispered, "I'm sorry but I might need you to fight today."

She heard the barks of several growlithe and the lone, powerful howl of an arcanine. With that, she gained a newfound motivation to run faster. However, the pain caught up to her and she began slowing down involuntarily.

The barks and howls became louder as they closed in, but they were still a good distance away. After making it over a hill, her eyes glued to the scene of an abandoned cabin in the woods. A smile crept on her face as she made her way to the building.

"Thank you Arceus," she said. As Aster went to open the door, she felt something strange occurring within herself – her head to be exact. She thought of it as nonsense and proceeded to open the door which, surprisingly, turned out to be locked. A look of panic swept across her face as she realized the situation she was in.

Aster had to go in without leaving a visible trail. It was a piece of cake to conceal herself from the powerful nose of an arcanine, but to leave a visible trail from breaking into a cabin was a liability. She knocked on the door furiously hoping that someone would come and answer.

"Come on, let me in!" she pleaded. Finally, the lock on the door unhatched and it swung open slowly to reveal a small, purple feline sitting down pompously. The three distinguishing features that identified its species, aside from its color, were the twin tails, its large, pointed ears, and the small ruby embedded on its forehead.

Aster thanked it silently as she attempted to step through – only to be halted by an invisible barrier made of the espeon's psychic energy. She put her hands on the barrier and pounded it several times.

"No, please let me in!" she pleaded repeatedly.

 _"Why should I?"_ a voice resonated within her mind, presumably the espeon. It was haunting – like a cheerful child's voice in a dark room.

"Please, can you just help out a human?" Aster cried out, shaking from the increasing volume of the Arcanine.

 _"My dad says humans are evil,"_ the espeon communicated warily.

"What about a guardian?" Aster asked with her last drop of hope. She looked into the glossy eyes of the psychic feline who looked back with close observation. Its ears twitched to the sound off the growlithes' barks and it released the barrier.

 _"Okay, come in,"_ it said with more innocence than before. Aster quickly walked inside and shut the door, locking it as best as she could. She breathed a sigh of relief and put the wooden ball to her lips saying, "It looks I might not bring you out after all. I promise one of these days you can be free."

 _"So you're a guardian too?!"_ the espeon asked excitedly to Aster's shock.

"Yeah, but it doesn't matter. You got food?" she asked as she began searching the cabin's interior. The childish feline followed her around constantly.

 _"My dad says not to give food to strangers,"_ it said while pounding a forepaw on the floorboard. Seeing this, Aster giggled and bent down to pet its head.

"Aren't you the cutest little kitty around? Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl?" she cooed as her hand moved over to the espeon's stomach – something it liked very much. Before scratching became intoxicating, it used its psychic ability to push her hand away and return to its feet.

 _"I am not a girl, I'm not a dog, and I'm not cute!"_ it announced, _"I am a man! I am a proud Espeon!"_

Aster could feel the wooden sphere on her belt shake in would she interpreted as laughter. She followed suit in her own hilarious fit that brought her down to her knees.

The espeon, however, found her actions insulting to say the least. In a fit of minor rage, he focused a little bit of psychic power on the counter in the middle of the kitchen and crushed its entire mass to the size of a basketball in one large snap.

Aster leaped up from the sound and began shaking. She had known espeons were users of ESP, but reducing an entire countertop to a ball said something about its experience.

 _"You see? I'm not cute,"_ he once again announced pounding his forepaw on the floor. Aster gave a nervous laugh and put her hands up in front of her.

"Alright, I won't misjudge you. You seem to be really powerful," she spoke shakily. When she received no response, she slowly clapped to get the espeon to feel at ease around her.

The feline smiled and raised its head high like a noble walking past its subjects. _"Thank you! Thank you! It's not really any trouble for me,"_ he said proudly. Aster was now confused – more than she had ever been around a pokemon – on whether she should respect the espeon or coddle it. _"By the way,"_ he said, _"What's your name?"_ he asked while taking a seat with his tail waving back and forth.

"A-Aster," she said hesitantly, "Aster Miyamoto. Yours?" Her hand slowly went to the ball clipped to her belt.

 _"My dad tells me I shouldn't give my name to strangers,"_ he said blankly. A small vein made itself visible on Aster's forehead after hearing the espeon's reason.

"It's rude to ask for one's name without giving your own," she reasoned with her brow twitching.

 _"My dad thinks its dumb to blindly give your name away."_

"But I gave you my name when you asked for it!"

 _"I know, and now you're dumb."_

"What?! If anyone's the dumb one around here, it's you!"

 _"Nuh-uh! You're the dumb one!"_

"No, you're dumb!"

 _"Am not!"_

"Are too!"

 _"Am not!"_

"Are too!"

 _"Am not! Dummy!"_

"Idiot!"

 _"Fool!"_

"Ass!"

 _"Meanie!"_

"BITCH!"

 _"CUNT!"_

"YOU MO- what?" Aster asked, for she was not familiar with the word the purple feline had just spat out of its mind.

Before the two could continue any further, a masculine voice shouted from within one of the rooms, "What the bloody hell is GOING ON OUT THERE!"

Both human and pokemon jumped at the shout and began shaking, the feline more than the girl.

 _"Oh no, dad told me not to use words like that,"_ he said.

"Is that your dad?" Aster whispered to which a nod was given in response.

Two doors busted open. One was the front door which Aster came through. The other was a door on the other side of the human and pokemon. Two Police and a growlithe walked through the front door with their side arms aimed and ready. What came from the other door, was something as unique and terrifying as a bird giving life to three dogs.


	2. First Pair

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon**

* * *

 **1 – First Pair**

Aster almost screamed. What came through the other door was not a human, but a pokemon. A very specific pokemon – one that brought her mother so much pain that any mention of it was worth some sort of punishment.

Latios: the male-Eon pokemon. Its feathers were a shade darker then the pictures Aster had seen; nonetheless, there was almost nothing like it. Because of her aura, her ability to detect danger and malice was a lot higher than regular humans. However, the danger she detected just seconds after taking sight of the dragon skyrocketed. She froze in fear while the two officers simply felt intimidated.

"WE MEAN NO HARM!" one of the officers directed at the dragon. Nonetheless, it's angry face remained unchanged. Scared out of her wits, Aster dropped her pokeball, which rolled under a couch. It would have been heard by the officers if their Aura-Detection Devices (ADDs) weren't going off because of her.

"Take her to the car, I'll make sure this doesn't get out of hand," the first officer said. The second nodded and picked up the petrified girl, taking her outside to the car. The growlithe followed suit and the first officer slowly backed away. As he glanced around the house, he felt that something was off. He was trained in the methods of detecting aura-users, so he was able to know when something wasn't right – when something has been manipulated. He would stay longer, but the presence of the latios encouraged him otherwise.

He holstered his firearm slowly and turned around to walk out the door.

Chance has a funny way of planting itself in fate and destiny. For example, if the officer would have walked straight out of the door without looking around, he would have taken the girl to the station, process her, and fix her. This intervention would be brief and hardly a grain of sand on the timeline of history. However, that wasn't what happened.

The officer, out of luck, spotted a reflection in a mirror to the left of the door. It was the reflection of the latios. It wouldn't have caused much suspicion, except that the picture taped on the mirror did. It was a familiar face, one anyone would recognize. When he leaned over to inspect it, a strange pattern began to glow on the latios. Yellow rings connected by single lines all over its body. He knew what that pattern was, and what kind of monster would have them.

 _"Just when I thought we were getting comfortable here,"_ the espeon said.

The last thing he heard before his own scream was the escalating volume of the ADD.

* * *

Finally regaining her composure, Aster began to struggle in the back seat of the car.

"Let me go! I didn't do anything!" she screamed as he pulled out a cigarette. He tapped the end of it on the growlithe in the back seat with her, lighting it with ease. Aster scowled. "Really?" she scolded.

"It's the city's mutt not mine," he informed her after taking a slow drag.

"Okay, you're an asshole for that too, but could you do that outside?"

The man turned back to her and blew a cloud of smoke into her face. Aster coughed and buried her head behind the growlithe. The heat off of its body made her uncomfortable, but it was better than breathing in the toxic gas of burning bellsprout. The fire dog shifted its body so that Aster lay under its chest. She could feel a sense of protection from the growlithe and silently thanked it.

The man scoffed and rolled his window down, knowing his partner would probably react the same way as the girl. Mere seconds after doing so, however, he heard his partner scream in agony. His eyes widened and he pulled a firearm from the glove compartment. He ordered the growlithe to stay there as he exited the car and made his way to the house.

Aster, on the other hand, felt the same sense of fear she felt from witnessing the latios. Hearing the man scream, she immediately moved her hand to her hip for her pokeball, but it wasn't there. Realizing she must have dropped it while the smoking officer dragged her out, she cursed and hid below the view of the window.

Two gunshots went off before the actual gun came flying through the front-passenger window. Aster silently pleaded the growlithe to not move or make a sound, lest it attract attention to the two of them.

Silence ensued for several minutes before the trunk opened by itself and something heavy was placed inside. Aster almost fainted, but the thought of an unconscious death was worth then dying in a fight for survival. The fact was: she was going to fight this latios. The latios that killed those two men. The latios that opened the trunk. The latios that placed something inside of the trunk.

Aster paused for a moment and thought about the situation. She wondered why a latios would want to put something in the trunk. She wondered why it would need the car.

Either this latios had a plan, or something else was going on. The moment the driver's seat door opened and a man sat down, she decided on the latter. In a silent pop, the espeon sat down on the passenger seat.

"I really thought that place was gonna last," Aster heard a man say. His voice was deep, and had a strange accent to it.

 _"Me too,"_ said the espeon.

"If it weren't for those damned ADDs, I swear I could live anywhere in Indigo."

 _"Why don't you just live on a different continent?"_

"Because I'm a goddammed-"

 **"Bark!"**

The two halted their conversation and looked into the back seat. There, they laid eyes on Aster, who stared right back. The dog's panting repeated over and over as each sentient being thought over the situation.

"Who the fuck's the girl?" the man asked his psychic feline.

 _"She's the girl that came before the two police."_ The man's face struggled and he wiped his mouth downwards with his hand as he looked between the girl and the espeon.

"She… are you… Are you fucking kidding me?! She's the reason we're in this whole mess?! A stupid girl?!" he exclaimed. Hearing his opinion of her, Aster spoke up.

"I'm right here you kn-"

"Was I talking to you?" Silence ensued, "Thank you."

 _"She seemed nice,"_ the carefree fox admitted.

"You say that about everything!" he complained.

 _"I could still handle myself in a fight,"_ the espeon tried to reason.

"Yes, but fights lead to bodies; bodies lead to questions, questions lead to answers, and answers point to ME!"

Aster's eye twitched as the two continued their bickering. Finally admitting to herself that this would continue, she decided on hopping out of the car. To her satisfaction, she went unnoticed to them. However, the growlithe followed her out.

Aster sensed its presence behind her, but she didn't mind. It was better to have some sort of company as she went to retrieve her ball. She walked to the front door and found herself in a bind when her handcuffs prevented her from turning the knob successfully. She banged her head on the door in annoyance, only to push it open causing her to fall.

"Dammit," she sighed. She turned over on her back and sat up facing the car. A cool breeze swept through the area, making Aster shiver from the cold, but she felt a cooler sensation more from her forehead then the rest of her body. She figured she must have fallen in something wet and went to wipe her forehead on her leg.

She froze when she caught side of the blood she had just wiped on herself, and shivered slightly. The growlithe whimpered and tucked its tail between its legs as it looked inside, adding more worry to Aster's now terrified face. She slowly turned around, uncertain pf what she was about to find, but curiosity piqued her more than fear.

Aster wretched upon the sight. Blood was splattered everywhere on the floor, walls and furniture. There was a body with several deep gashes on its chest and back, with its head twisted 180 degrees. Another had its head completely removed. Utterly horrified, Aster kicked away from the house, forcing her to fall and roll away until something stopped her.

Staring down at her was the man that was previously sitting in the car with her as well as the espeon. "You weren't supposed to see that," he informed without emotion. He reached behind his back and pulled out a familiar orb, one that sent shivers through Aster's spine once she realized what was in his possession.

"Give that back," she demanded.

"Oh, attached to something are we?" he asked.

"Please just give it back. I won't tell anyone-"

"Of course you won't," he interrupted, "At some point they'll ask why you were being chased by the police in the first place. Right?" Aster was dumbfounded; this _thing,_ whatever it was, had given her a scenario that she wouldn't have even conceived within the next hour or so.

Aster feebly nodded and the man tossed the pokeball to her.

"My advice, don't trust anyone with your secret," he said as she clipped the pokeball on her belt.

"That obvious?" she asked.

"So much, in fact, that I find you quite retarded for asking if it's even obvious." Aster flinched at his tone. On a normal day, she would shoot back at any man for talking to her like that. However, since she presumed she was talking directly to the latios, she held her tongue. She had read about their shapeshifting abilities, and how any number of Lati could be hiding in plain sight within the cities of civilization.

"Don't worry, I won't claw your eyes out," the man assured.

"I didn't say-"

"I'm psychic," he interrupted, "I could read your mind. Your also worried, intrigued, threatened, annoyed – that's a new one – and addicted. I miss anything?" he asked her. If anything, she was disgusted. The fact that someone could read people's minds and find their inner most secrets was not only rude, but invasive.

"Yeah: you're talkative for a pokemon," she said cautiously as she walked past him.

"Arceus help me," he muttered.

"Look," Aster began, "whoever you are, thank you for… inadvertently saving me, but I have to get going." She was about to head off when a whimper caught her ear. The growlithe, with its owners now dead, had no one to return to.

'As if those cops were any good to it anyway,' Aster thought. She sighed and took a knee next to the growlithe. "I'm betting you're pretty lonely, huh?" She reached her hand out halfway before the canine rubbed its head on her palm, warming it instantly.

The man and the fox looked on with curiosity. Both had avoided civilization for some time that they had forgotten what compassion looked like.

"I know how that feels: being somewhere you don't belong," Aster continued. "Being spoken to like you're just a tool – a means to an end." She laughed, "Well, maybe I'm not exactly like you, but I do know how it feels to be judged because of what I have."

She unclipped the pokeball from her belt and presented it to the canine; careful that she did not press the release button. "This is Emma. I knew her since I was a kid. Believe it or not, she was the first friend I ever made, but she sure is a handful."

 _"Are you seeing this?"_ the espeon asked in the man's mind.

 _"Just a kid being nice,"_ he tried shoving off.

 _"It's almost familiar…"_

"Hmph," the man grunted.

"I'm looking for my dad right now," Aster told the growlithe, pulling the man's attention. "I was hoping he could provide some answers for me. So if you want to come along," she said while unclipping a spare ball, "and join our little makeshift family, you need only ask." She smiled knowingly, almost as if it pained her to do so, but also as if she didn't mind.

The growlithe, understanding every sentiment, barked and touched its nose to the button. The capture was an instant success, and she brought both pokeballs to her chest.

"Thank you," she whispered to them.

 _"What are you thinking?"_ the espeon asked him.

 _"I think you were right,"_ the man stated.

 _"About what?"_

 _"…She is familiar."_

Aster clipped both of her apricorn pokeballs to her belt and sighed. A small tear rolled off her cheek and dripped on the ground.

"We should probably get outta here," the man spoke up to her, "I'm sure more will come without a coms check from those two, and I don't want to be a prime target for them."

"But you're a pokemon… aren't you?" Aster asked.

"If you're suggesting that I'm under protection from the 'Beast Abuse Law,' then you're right. However, I just killed two humans: that makes me a target for hunters and police alike."

 _"But we can take care of them, right?"_ the espeon spoke up.

"Just because we can, doesn't mean we should. Remember," Michael paused as he crouched down to pet his furry friend, "Killing is wrong…"

 _"Unless it's self-defense,"_ the espeon recited.

Aster felt a chill roll down her spine as she heard the two conversing. They we're speaking as if _murder_ was perfectly fine in a case-by-case scenario.

"Good. Now let's bounce," the man said with both of them heading to the car. He stopped momentarily when he realized the girl wasn't moving with them. "Come on, let's go."

"With you?" Aster responded hesitantly.

"Who else is gonna protect you? The best you can do with your team at the moment is burn buildings and blow people's heads off. And with your training, I don't see you getting out of a chase alive."

"I'm perfectly capable of covering my tracks."

"It's not the tracks you should be worrying about," the man said with an increase in force. He grabbed her arm for good measure of getting the point across. "They know your face. I'm betting you didn't even know who sold you out to the police do you? You don't know them, but they know you. Soon, there will be wanted posters all over town with your face on it. In a month's time of no results, the search will span over the region, and soon, all over Indigo."

Aster's breath hitched. He had to have been bluffing, but something about him made his argument trustworthy. It must have been his eyes. To her, the soul within looked weary, like he's seen this a thousand times over.

"If you come with me, I can show you how to hide. I can show you how to control your ability, and probably how to use it efficiently."

"How could you possibly know how to use this… curse?" she asked. But the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted it. The look in his eyes shifted from weary to agonized within a second. She watched as he lifted a hand in the air. With a small pop, an aura sphere appeared on his palm. It stood there without any motion, as if it was made of glass, before it disappeared.

"Human's aren't the only species that can use this _'curse.'_ " He turned and walked toward the car and stopped at the driver's door. He placed a hand over the body and the white police car transformed into a black car like dripping ink into water. The man looked her in the eye and then stepped inside the car.

Aster didn't miss a beat and got inside as well – in the back seat, that is.

"How did-"

"Illusion. I'm a Latios, remember?"

Aster nodded in mild understanding and buckeled up as they left the scene. All unknowing to the presence watching them from behind the house.

"You got a name, kid? I'm assuming you have a name. If you don't, I'm giving you one," he said about 15 minutes into the drive. Aster was about to respond until she remembered her earlier conversation with the espeon now residing on the shotgun seat.

"Yours first," she responded to which the man laughed.

"I see you've already learned something from my friend."

 _"See? I told you she's smart,"_ the espeon said proudly.

"Alright," the man said, "The name's Matthew. I'll give you the last name later," he informed until he realized what he just said. "Not give it to you as in 'marrying you,' I mean… I'll tell you later." Aster just laughed at his antics.

"Are you awkward around girls?" she tried.

"Not when their underage," he fired back to her despise.

"For the love of Arceus, I'm 24!" she complained. Now it was Matthew's turn to laugh.

"It was a joke. I know you aura guardians age slowly. So what about your name?"

"Aster. I'll 'let you know' the last name later," she said with a grin. The two were getting along just fine. A friendship sparked in dark times, becomes close to kinship.

She looked to the purple fox as a thought rolled to her. "What about him?"

"Who? The little guy?"

"Yeah."

Matthew and the espeon looked into each other's eyes. Both thought the exact same thing, and both were hoping this road on the sands of time would lead them somewhere that was close to a step above despair.

Both spoke at the same time with one word. One name.

"Chance."  
 _"Chance."_


	3. Two Strangers

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.**

* * *

 **2: Two Strangers**

It was the perfect day for a graduation. The sky was clear, the sun was high, and the peak of Hoenn's northern mountains was void of life… save for two.

A young woman of 24 years and a feral salamence stared into each other's eyes under the tension of power. Both were equal in heart and determination, but only one had a stronger willpower.

The young woman exerted this power outwards, forcing the great dragon to succumb to its influence – to her will. Her posture was strong: upright, chin up and hands at her side – ready to react. Her eyes had a glare inside them akin to a fire, but as calm as stagnant lake. Her purpose was clear, and it was the only thought roaming inside her head.

Dragons were known to sense power in visual and audial form. They often acknowledged power in place of dominating in a fight to the death – their most common reaction to humans.

However, this dragon looked upon the female human's confidence. It stared and waited for the slightest sign of hesitation, duress, or even anxiety. None were recognized among the woman's form. In his last test, he roared proudly to stagger this woman, only to find that the only thing that was moved in her was the hair on her head.

She didn't budge, and she wouldn't dare give in on her day of ascension.

Accepting his defeat, the dragon grumbled humbly and lowered his head in a bow. To his awkward surprise, this was the only action to break the girl's concentration.

"I did it! YES!" she screamed in glee as she hopped up and down clapping her hands. She ran up to the mighty dragon of Hoenn and hugged his neck, giving him kisses here and there.

Seeing as he had already accepted defeat, the prideful being could not attack in a vicious rampage. Instead, he cursed himself in his head as he unexpectedly took to flight – leaving the woman to fall to her ass. She didn't care, she had just passed her graduation.

"I believe congratulations are in order for you, Zinnia," an elderly man spoke behind the woman. Zinnia tilted her head upwards, still on the ground, to see Esbern, the Draconid village's chieftain. She picked herself up immediately and kneeled in respect for his authority. "Please, rise," he ordered.

Zinnia obeyed immediately and stood with her hands crossed in front of her over her waist.

"I will now administer to you the creed of us Draconids and bestow upon you your keystone," he informed formally, but with a knowing smile that was copied by Zinnia. "Salute, Zinnia." Zinnia raised her right fist horizontally in front of her while placing her left hand over her bicep.

"Do you, Zinnia Drakenspire, swear to uphold the honor, integrity, will, and responsibilities of the Draconids?"

"I will hold my honor high, for it is my life. I will be honest with myself, and the beasts I lead to battle. My will is strong; stronger than the scaly hide of the dragons I tame. And I will hold myself responsible, as if my sins were as equal as my triumphs."

"Do you swear to treat dragons and beasts as they are man's equal?"

"I will judge all of Arceus's creations not by their appearance and lineage, but by their actions I witness."

"Do you swear to use your power for these promises?!" Esbern asked more forcefully.

"I am ready to end my life before I abuse the power given to me!"

Esbern slapped Zinnia as per Draconid code, but the girl remained unfazed.

"DO YOU SWEAR YOUR UNDYING LOYALTY TO THE DRACONIDS?! FOR THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO RAISED YOU?!"

"I WILL RIP OUT MY OWN HEART BEFORE I BETRAY MY HOME!"

Esbern took out a knife and a cloth drenched in dragon's blood from the bag by his feet.

"Then by my right, honor, and authority as chieftain, by the dragons of space, time, distortion, and sky," he said while opening Zinnia's fist and cutting her palm, "I graduate you to Lore-keeper!" He took the cloth and squeezed it over the fresh wound, allowing human and dragon blood to intermingle and bond. He pulled an object from his bag and placed it in Zinnia's hands.

It was blue, almost turquoise, and spiraled resembling a snake climbing an invisible pillar. A small, rainbow-colored stone was fitted onto the large tip of the object.

"I present to you your keystone; may you walk the earth strong, and let your legs carry you to greatness. Fight strong…"

"…Die free," Zinnia finished. Her smile had widened greatly by the end and so had Esbern's. The old man opened his arms wide, inviting the young woman to a hug which she greatly accepted.

"Thank you, Dad," she said.

"I'm proud of you, Zin. I always have been." He looked up to the skies and watched as a Salamence soared around his home. A pit in his stomach dropped as he remembered what he had promised himself years ago, the promise he made to Zinnia for when this day arrived.

"Listen Zinnia," he said as he separated from their embrace, "For twenty-four years now, I've kept a secret from you. It's not my proudest action, but I wanted to wait until this day to tell you-"

"Dear Arceus; I'm adopted, aren't I?" she interrupted.

"No, you're not ad- Wait… you knew?" he questioned confusingly.

"I am?" She asked again. She paused for a second and began to laugh. "I'm just kidding… I'm psychic, remember?"

"Right… not exactly a trait in northern Hoenn," he commented, "So when did you find out?"

"Just now," she said with a laugh.

"Like I've been saying since you took your first steps: you're going to give me a heart attack one of these days," he laughed with another hug.

"So, did you at least know who my parents were?" Zinnia asked.

Esbern hesitated his response, but responded truthfully, "I don't know if there was a father involved, but your mother was definitely there. Part of the reason I didn't tell you was because she was the one who requested it. She told me to keep it a secret until we believed you have come of age; which you've definitely proved today."

"Dad… I could sense that you're feeling a little uneased. Believe me, I understand completely," Zinnia assured with a smile.

"That's just like you – always the optimistic one," he said with pride as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.

"How can I be disappointed about an absent father when I have the perfect one in front of me?"

Esbern chuckled. He had always loved her outlook on life. No matter what troubles laid ahead or behind her, she always remained cheerful.

"It might be a longshot," Zinnia started while holding his hand with both of hers, "but do you know where she is now? My birth-mother?"

"When she came to me, she said she was going to live in Johto; however, since the war, I kept a tab on her for this occasion. Last I heard, she was residing in Hearthome City, Sinnoh."

"Sinnoh…" she trailed off. "That's… the complete opposite end of Indigo," she deadpanned.

"True… but I think you'll be just fine on the back of your 'brother,'" Esbern said.

"I know you said I was optimistic, but Salamence could barely make it to Kanto without rest, and a stranger coming from the west is probably gonna raise some flags."

"I believe I forgot to give you your birthday present this year," Esbern said as he pulled an object out of his robes. It was a large sphere of indigo and crimson color resembling the inner pattern of a marble. "And I'm fairly certain your brother would make it to neutral ground without breaking a sweat."

Zinnia was in shock. Even with her power, she hadn't foreseen her father giving her a mega stone, and one for Salamence to boot.

"What… where did you find this? Aren't salamencite utterly rare?" she asked in complete awe.

"Zinnia, we're draconids; any dragon stone is easy to obtain if you know where to look."

Zinnia reached out towards the stone, feeling the raw power emanating from within. She had almost brushed her fingers on it when her father pulled it back into his robes.

"Later. Right now, we have a graduation to celebrate. Besides," he trailed as he picked up his bag and began his descent down the mountain, "Your brother is waiting for you down there."

Zinnia smiled and looked down at the anklet given to her. A new life was ahead of her as lore-keeper.

* * *

Peter Sencrad brought his hands to his mouth and breathed. The cold air of a Sinnoh night nipped away at his fingertips – leaving them numb, but not as numb as his mind. He stood hunched in front of a building, wishing that his hoodie was more effective at preventing the cold.

He looked left and right checking his surroundings for any witnesses before he reached into his jacket and pulled out his sidearm. With closed eyes, he inhaled and exhaled deeply as he gained the final bits of his confidence.

"Arceus, if you're there, and you don't want me to do this: please send a sign," he whispered to himself. He breathed a few more times before he opened his eyes, full of determination, and moved his hand towards the door knob.

An earth-shattering cry broke the quiet atmosphere, making Peter drop his sidearm from the spook. He looked up to see a dark crescent-shape entity flying over his head and landing not too far east.

His breathing and heart-rate picked up from the event and he looked back toward the door, then to the pistol. He chuckled at himself before bending over to pick up the weapon and returning it to his jacket.

"I guess some things really are fate," he said as he turned into the direction of the mysterious entity. With another deep breath, he was off to investigate.

[…]

"Easy boy, we'll rest here for now," Zinnia said to her salamence. The two had landed in the woods of Eterna Forest to rest from the long day spent flying. Along the way, the two made a couple of stops to sight-see, gather supplies, and make short rest-stops. Luckily for them, no government official had stopped them in their journey.

Zinnia went to the pack attached to Salamence's saddle and pulled out a chair and sleeping bag. She set the two down and, with her hatchet, went off to gather some firewood.

Meanwhile, Salamence took this opportunity to nap while Zinnia prepared dinner. He closed his eyes and drifted off into slumber.

At least, that would have happened if he hadn't heard a twig snapping not too far from him. The direction of the sound came opposite of where Zinnia had left which put him on guard.

The bushes in that direction began to rattle with life and he hunched his neck back in preparation of an attack. When a human popped out from the bushes, he roared powerfully, alerting Zinnia of danger. Immediately, she dropped the wood and ran back to the site with her hatchet clutched in hand. When she reached the area and saw another human, she visibly relaxed.

Zinnia's gift of telekinesis was special in that she could easily detect danger, which was nowhere to be found with this human's presence.

"Easy, Salamence," she said calmly before directing her attention to the stranger. "Sorry about that, my brother has a bit of a reluctance toward strangers. But don't worry; he won't bite. Right, Sal?"

The dragon snorted and went back to its nap leaving a cheery girl and a scared-shitless boy.

"I'm Zinnia; what's your name?" she asked politely while holding a hand out.

"P-Peter… Peter Sencrad," the boy uttered while shaking Zinnia's hand.

"Nice to meet ya, Pete!" she welcomed before going back to where she dropped her wood. When she returned, Peter was examining the large dragon in detail, albeit remaining a certain distance away.

"Is this a Salamence?" He asked in awe.

"Of course, it is! I told you, didn't I?" Zinnia reminded him.

"I know, but… I've never seen one before… especially this close."

Zinnia folded her arms in thought. "Yeah. I guess you wouldn't; they live in specific places, mostly mountains and deep caverns," she said.

"Where did you find him?" Peter asked.

"I don't know," Zinnia told as Salamence sparked the fire. "My brother and I have always just known each other." Salamence nuzzled his head on Zinnia's side, making her laugh and pet him in return.

"You grow up alone?" Peter asked while taking a seat by the fire.

"Oh, goodness no. I had a family… Well," Zinnia paused in thought, "I guess an adopted family. I recently just found out that my mother lives here in Sinnoh. Let me tell you, it was a PAIN to take such a long trip from Hoenn."

Peter's eyes had widened at this revelation. "Hoenn? You crossed the border all the way from Hoenn? And no one stopped you?"

"Of course not," Zinnia replied casually, "They're too busy fighting each other and searching for guardians to look up every once in a while."

"I guess that makes sense," Peter replied warily. His mind drifted onto the reference of aura guardians. For some reason, they had always sparked an interest in Peter's mind. He wished to meet a guardian one day in hopes of receiving the smallest of gifts or wisdom.

"So what brings you to Sinnoh?" Zinnia asked.

"I was born and raised here. My parents died while I was young so I was brought up in an orphanage. From there I went to school, met the love of my life, watched her burial, and now I'm just a wanderer trying to make ends meet… what's so funny?" As Peter was talking, Zinnia fell into a fit of laughter that knocked her off of her chair.

"I'm sorry, but I asked why you were here, not a life story," she replied. Peter shook his head and looked at the ground beneath his feet. "Well, you showed me yours," Zinnia continued, "It's only fair I show you mine." With that, she took off her jacket – an action that made Peter anxious.

"Umm… we just met," he said.

"Huh? Oh no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that thought to your head," Zinnia tried assuring him. Only for Peter to become disappointed. "Besides, I like girls."

"Could've gone without you saying that," he said with a struggle.

"Why?"

"It's just a joke. So what did you mean?" Peter asked.

"My life story. I guess with recent events withstanding, my mother, after giving birth to me, took me to a Draconid village in northern Hoenn. I was raised by the village's chieftain, who is the BEST dad ever, and became a lorekeeper a couple of days ago," Zinnia explained. "Lorekeeper is a position in the village that knows everything about dragons, history, myths – both human, beast, and guardian-related – and the world in general."

Zinnia made sure to keep her true job secret as per her father's, and village's, orders.

"So pretty much a historian?" Peter compared.

"That's definitely a better name than 'lorekeeper,'" Zinnia admitted with a laugh that was joined by Peter. Things were calm and quiet for a while as both stared into the fire.

"So, do you need any help in finding your mother?" Peter asked.

"Nope," the lorekeeper responded immediately – stunning the boy.

"Why not?"

"Because I can handle it on my own."

"Well… may I accompany you?" Peter asked, more delicately this time.

"If you want to. Do you have a ride?" Zinnia asked as she stirred the fire. The boy in question pondered on her words.

"By ride, you mean…"

"A pokemon. Dragon, bird, or anything that can fly?"

"Oh, I don't… have a pokemon. You see, I've always been sort of… jumpy with them around," he confessed. Zinnia looked at him with suspicious eyes.

"You sure don't seem jumpy around Sal," she pointed out.

"Well, he's already got an owner-"

"Trainer," Zinnia corrected, "More like a brother."

"Trainer… that can… keep an eye on him."

Salamence picked his head up and snarled lightly towards the unfamiliar man.

"No offense. It's just I have no experience with owning a chi… a pokemon. My foster parents were never really accepting of them."

"Well that can explain it. Most of the older generations still feel that resentment. Except the Draconids," Zinnia said while petting Salamence's head.

"Do you know if your mother is one of those people?" Peter asked. Zinnia remained silent for a moment as she thought about the possibility.

"I don't think she is. If she was, she would probably leave me with a different community than one that raises chimeras." Salamence gave a low grumble at Zinnia's choice of words. "Sorry, I was just making a point. You know I don't think off you like that. But going back to my question, if you don't have a ride, you probably aren't going to keep up with us."

"What if I ride on-"

Salamence roared once again knowing what Peter was about to say.

"Does that answer your question?" Zinnia said with a giggle.

"I guess…" Peter said with downcast eyes. It was this expression that gave Zinnia a thought.

"Wait a second…" she said. Peter looked up to find Zinnia peering at him closely.

"W-what?"

"You don't have any friends, do you?" Zinnia assumed. It was this assumption that made Peter's face glow with a shade of red hidden by the fire's light.

"What? Of course I have friends!"

"Lying won't get you any. Besides, no one asks to come along on a trip for no reason if they aren't looking for a friend."

"That's a lie!" Peter said defensively. Zinnia rose from her seat and neared Peter. She bent forward to look more closely at his face. The face that seemed to get farther and farther away until his entire body was against the ground.

"If you wanted a friend," Zinnia said sweetly as she straddled the boy and crept her face closer to his. Her mouth was already next to his ear, allowing her face to feel the heat emanating off of Peter's. She took a deep, relaxed breath, "You could have just asked."

The sultry tone coming from her lips was enough to make Peter wanting to bite her neck, but knowing the kind of person she is, he was stuck with his eyes rolled back, biting his lip, and puling the grass out underneath his hands.

"You know," Zinnia spoke while retreating her head and sitting down on Peter's stomach, "I've never _done it_ with an outsider before." The way she said it was so casual that Peter was legitimately confused on her sexuality. He could only remain silent and hope that this torture could either end quickly or move on to something better.

Unfortunately, the torture continued as Zinnia placed her hands gently on Peter's chest and pushed her hips backwards ever so slightly that it could be mere millimeters away from his ever-growing length.

"So tell me, Peter," she spoke softly while moving her face closer to Peter's, "Do you want a friend?"

Unable to take the temptation anymore, Peter grabbed Zinnia by the waist and switched positions so that he was on top. Without any more hesitation, he bent his head down and began to kiss the woman passionately. Her lips were soft like dough, and tasted like berries. He moved his lips down to her neck as his hands wandered her body.

One of his hands found its way to her belt and began to untuck her shirt. From there, he slowly moved his hands upwards, savoring the smooth texture of her skin. He heard a moan as his hand moved closer and closer to her breast.

Without warning, he found himself back on bottom with Zinnia straddling him; a sight that made Peter go wild. He watched as Zinnia grabbed the bottom of her shirt and slowly brought it upwards. She paused when the bottom of her chest was visible.

She stayed there as Peter waited anxiously. This was almost worse than the teasing she was doing before, but the man had to stay patient.

However, something was off about the woman on top: she wasn't moving. It was as if she had frozen in time. Peter began to worry that something outside his control was happening. He moved an arm upwards toward her chest and extended his forefinger.

The moment, he touched Zinnia's breast, she had vanished into thin air. It wasn't smoky like some sort of apparition, nor was it glitching like a hologram. One moment she was there, weight and all, and the next she was gone in the blink of an eye.

Peter was thoroughly confused until he heard Zinnia laughing hysterically. He looked up from his position and found her, still dressed, sitting in her chair clutching her side.

"Oh my… Rayquaza preserve me. I'm sorry," she apologized. While it was an honest apology in effort, Peter felt something akin to betrayal for what he had just gone through.

"Really?!" he exclaimed while taking his seat next to the fire. "What in the name of Giratina was that?!"

"It was… an illusion," Zinnia said between laughs. However, the explanation had no value to it yet.

"How in distortion did you do that?!" Peter asked with curiosity and rage. Zinnia held up a finger to ask for some time. Peter obliged reluctantly and twiddled his fingers while she calmed down.

"Oh wow. I really am sorry. I probably should have told you this before, but I'm psychic. I just made you see and feel something that wasn't there." Though this explanation was enough for Peter, he wasn't planning on forgiving her. Her disappearing on him was one thing, but to make a fool out of him and witnessing it was something uncalled for.

"Talk about a case of the blue balls," he muttered while pulling on the hair in the back of his head.

"Well, I already told you: I like girls. You should have seen past it."

"Really? It seemed kinda convincing!" Peter exclaimed.

Zinnia looked up in thought. "Well… I guess I could swing both ways. I never really tried it before." Zinnia looked back at the embarrassed man with provocative eyes, "You wanna help me try?"

"Yeah, right after you fall into Distortion," Peter barked back, making Zinnia laugh some more.

"Ha ha, I'm sorry. If it's any consolation, Sal wanted me to do it."

"And WHY would he ask that?!"

"Because… he said if I humiliate you, he would let you come along. Believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was be a bully, but it was the only way if you wanted to join me." Peter was stunned. In a matter of seconds, Zinnia had turned his anger into confusion.

"Wait… You're letting me come along?" he asked.

"Yep."

"And the only way I could was to make me look like a fool?"

"Yep."

"And you truly feel a bit of remorse for doing so?"

"Yep, sorry."

"So, in other words: since you humiliated me, but it was the only way for me to come along, you did me a questionable favor?"

"Yep, Yep."

"Wow… I never expected that," Peter said with a small headache forming.

"I guess we're friends now, then," Zinnia said with a hand outstretched over the fire. Peter looked at it and laughed. Zinnia was sure an interesting character, but it appeared she had a good heart. With pleasure, he stuck his hand out over the fire and shook Zinnia's hand.

"Just one thing," Peter said.

"What?"

"Never do that again," he threatened, his demeanor taking a slightly dark turn. It was waved off by Zinnia's glee, but she agreed nonetheless.

The next morning, the two strangers-turned-friends made their way to Hearthome – to Zinnia's second home.


End file.
